Automotive suspension



July 2s, 1942.

N. E. WAHLBERG AUTOMOTIVE SUSPENSION .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 29, 1940 July 28, 1942 N. E. WAHLBERG 2,290,923

AUTOMOTIVE SUSPENSION Filed Maranza, 1940 4 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

/V/L5 ,ER/K WAHLBERG', BY ZM M ATIYDRNL" July 28, 1942. N. E. WAHLBERG 2,290,923

AUTOMOTIVE sUsPENsIoN Filed March 29, 1940 4 'sheets-sheet 3 banaal-unl IIIIIIIIIII,

- INVENTOR. /V/L5 ERIK WAHLBERG.

ATTORNEY.

irlatented July 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOTIVE SUSPENSION Nils Erik Wahlberg, Kenosha, Wis., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Kenosha, Wis., a corporation oi' Maryland Application March 29, 1940, Serial No. 326,557

12 Claims.

- support swings in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of. the car.

It is another object of this invention to provide a wheel suspension mechanism which will be lighter than those known heretofore, and the parts of which will require less machining than other mechanisms.

It is another object of this invention to provide a wheel suspension employing a coiled spring in which the overhang of the point of contact of the wheel upon the ground beyond the intersection of a line passed through the axis of the spring and the ground may be Vreduced to zero.

It is another object of this invention to provide a wheel suspension using a coil spring in which the spring is free to shift its axis so as to always present the axis against the line of movement of the wheel.

It is another object of this invention to provide a wheel suspension using a coil spring in which the spring is mounted on the end of the control arm near its point of maximum travel.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the attached drawings of which there are four sheets and in which Y Figure 1 represents a front elevation of an y automobile frame with a wheel suspension embodying my invention installed mounted there- Figure 2 represents a plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 represents a side elevation of the structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and with the wheel partially broken away to more clearly illustrate the invention;

Figure 4 represents a vertical sectional view, partially broken away, taken substantially along the plane indicated by the broken line 4-4 in Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; A

Figure 5 represents a section taken along the line 5--5 of Figures 3 and 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 represents a section taken along the line 6--6 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 represents a section taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 and illustrates a modified structure embodying my invention; and

vFigure 9 represents a section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 8 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings, which are to be taken as descriptive rather than limiting. on my invention, I have illustrated an automobile having a body 20 and a frame 22. The frame 22 consists more specifically of side rails 24 connected at their forward end by cross member 26 and provided with inclined brace members 28 which slope upwardly from the front of the side rails and backwardly to the body portion 2D. The structure illustrated is particularly adapted to a unitary type of body construction in which the body lis fabricated directly with the frame members rather than being added after the frame is completed. However, my invention is not necessarily limited to such construction. It will be noted that the side rails 24 consist of channel members having their flanges 29 faced inwardly and provided with a downturned flange 30 on the bottom flange. The cross member 26 is also channel-shaped in cross section having its flanges facing toward the front of the car. 'Ihe cross member 26 ts between the flanges 29 of of the side rail members and may be attached thereto by any suitable means such as welding. I have provided the U-shaped brackets 32 which may be Welded to the web of the side rail and the flanges of the cross member to strengthen the connection. The inclined brace members 28 are channel-shaped in cross section and may be fastened to the side rails as by welding.

My wheel suspension mechanism applied to this frame consists generally of an upper spring support indicated generally at 34, an upper control arm indicated'at 36, a lower` control arm indicated at 38, a lower spring support indicated at 40, and a steering knuckle 42 upon which is supported the wheel 44. Since the structure is duplicated on each side of the car, only one side will be described.

The upper spring support consists of a ring 46 on the front and back of which are formed as by forging along with the ring, the ears 48. Th'ese ears are drilled and tapped to receive the threaded ends of the brace rods 5l), which extend downwardly, and terminate in eyes which are fastened to the side rail member 24 by means of bolts 52 passed through the eyes and the side rail. The upper ends of the braces 58 maybe locked in position in the ears 48 by means of the lock nuts 54, On the side of the ring 46 next to the frame is provided a boss 56 which is drilled and tapped to receive the threaded end of a. horizontal brace rod 58 which is passed through the inclined frame member 28 and secured thereto by means of the nuts 69. A spacer sleeve 6| may be provided (see Figure 4) to distribute the load of the rod 58 to both flanges of the inclined member-28.

The lower surface of the ring 46 forms an abutment for the inverted cup-shaped member 62 which has the flange 64 arranged to rest against the under surface of the ring. The cup member 62 forms an abutment and retainer for the coil spring 66 and the uppermost portion of the cup is apertured to pass the bayonet end 68 of a strut type shock absorber 18 which is fastened to the cup by means of the nut 12 and cushioned by the rubber biscuits 14 commonly supplied with shock absorbers of this type. It will be noted that I have provided a washer 16 of rubber or some other vibration dampening material between the spring 66 and the flange 64 of the cupshaped member 62. II'his helps to prevent vibrap tion from being transmitted from the wheels to the frame.

The upper control arm is most clearly illustrated in Figure and consists of a .'orward rod 18 which extends transversely over the cross member 26 until it is carried beyond the side rail 24 Where it is bent backwardly as at 88 and angles back to the lower spring support 40 where it is threaded into a boss I which will be more particularly described later. in a rubber bearing 82 which is held between two stamped plates 84 which are oppositely deformed and apertured to form a socket between them for retairiin1 the rubber bearing 82. The plates-84 are held together by the bolt 85. The plates 74 are fastent as by the bolts 86 to a generally The rod 18 is supported U-shaped bracket 88 (see Figure 1) which may be welded or otherwise fastened to the outside of the side rail 24 just opposite the cross member 26. The inside end of the rod 18 is threaded to receive the drilled and tapped ball 90 which is retained in a socket formed between the upper and lower halves of the bracket 92. of the bracket 92 are drawn together around the ball 90 and the bracket itself is fastened to the upper flange of the cross member 26 by means of the bolts 94. The upper control arm 36 also includes a diagonal brace rod 96 which has its inner end flattened and bent over as at 98 and apertured to pass over the threaded portion of the rod 18. The rod 96 is retained in position on the rod 18 by means of the nuts and lock washers 88 threaded onto the end of the rod 18 on each side of the end portion 98 of the rod 96. The outer end of the rod 96 is threaded and passed through a boss |10 formed on the socket member |44 of the lower spring support 48 which will be more particularly described later. The position of the rod 96 relative to the boss may be adjusted by turning the nuts ||2 threaded on the outer end of the rod 96 on each side of the boss H8.

The lower control arm 38 is similar to the upper arm 36 which has just been described in detail. It consists of a front rod ||4 which is positioned underneath the rod 18 and is bent backwardly at ||6 so as to be substantially parallel to and under the upper rod 18. 'lhe lower control arm is also provided with a diagonal brace rod ||8 (see The two halves Figure 5) which is fastened at its inner end to the rod ||4 by means of the nuts` |28 in the same manner in which the upper brace rod 961s fastened to the rod 18. The outer end of the forward rod 4 of the lower 'arm is threaded into a boss |22 formed on a lower steering knuckle support socket |24.

The diagonal brace ||8 is passed completely through a boss |23 and secured in the same manner as the upper diagonal brace 96 is secured to the boss |||I. The entire lower arm is supported from the cross member 26 by means of a ball and socket joint |26 (see Figures 1 and 4) fastened on the underside of the cross member 26 in thesame manner as the bracket 92 which holds the upper control arm on the top side of the cross member 26. The lower control arm is also provided with a bearing support |28 which is the same as the bearing support 84 for the upper arm 36 and is fastened to the underside of the bracket 88 in the same manner as is the bea-ring support bracket 84.

The steering knuckle 42 consists of a generally C-shaped forging (see Figurel and 4) having upper and lower arms |38 which are apertured to receive the conical ends |3| of ball pins |32. The upper ball |32 is received in the socket member |44 of the lower spring support assembly 40 and the lower ball |32 is received in the lower steering knuckle support socket |24. It will be noted, (see Figure 4) that the upper control arm does not extend as far toward the side of the car as does the lower control arm. This places the upper ball |32 and the upper end of the steering knuckle 42 nearer the center of the car than the lower ball |32 and the lower end `of the steering knuckle. Formed on the outside of thev steering knuckle 42 is a plane surface |32 which lies in a plane inclined slightly up and out from a vertical plane through the steering knuckle and on the opposite side of the vertical from an axis through the balls |32. Extending at right angles from the surface |33 is the spindle |34 on which the wheel 44 is mounted with the roller bearings |36. The fiat surface serves to mount the backing plate |38 fastened to the fiat surface by bolts |40. plane of surface |33 and the axis through the ball pins |32 will be such that the plane and the axis will intersect at or near the point of contact between the wheel 44 and the road. Since the axis through the ball pins |32 is that about which the wheel and steering knuckle are turned in steering the car, my construction eliminates or reduces the tendency of the wheel reaction on the ground to turn the wheel about the steering axis. In effect the line of action of the rearward component of road shock forces is directed through or nearly through the axis about which the wheel is steered so there is no turning moment about that axis.

The lower spring support 48 is most clearly illustrated in Figure 6 and consists of a fitting |44 which is so shaped as by forging and machining so as to have the downwardly presented semispherical socket |46 within which is received the upper ball pin |32 of the steering knuckle. The ball pin is retained in place by means of the externally threaded annular ring |48 which is threaded into the fitting |44 below the socket |46 after the ball |32 has been located therein. I have provided the spherical portion of the socket 46 with a liner of bearing material |58, and I have provided the lubrication fitting |52 by means of which lubricant may be forced into the I contemplate that the angle between the space around the ball |32.

'Ihe fitting |44 is also provided with the bosses and which receive the outer ends of the rods 96 and 18 respectively as has been explained before.

Formed on the upper side of the fitting |44 is a boss |54 which is machined flat in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the socket |46 and is drilled and tapped to receive the cap screw |56. The cap screw |56 fastens the fiat bottom of the cup-shaped stamping |56 to the top of the fitting |44. The stamping |58 has a finger |59 bent down from its bottom portion, which finger is engaged in a groove |55 in the boss |54 to prevent the stamping from rotating with respect to the boss. 'Ihe stamping |58 is provided with a generally horizontal, annular fiange |60 which is fastened by suitable means, such as welding, to the horizontal flanges |62 of a U-shaped clip |64. The upper surface of the U-shaped `c1ip |64 is apertured at |66 to receive the bayonet end |68 of the shock absorber 10. The shock absorber is connected to the clip by the usual nut 12 and the connection is made semi-flexible by the rubber biscuits 14 in the same manner as that by which the top of the shock absorber is fastened to the upper spring seat 62.

Positioned around the clip |64 and apertured at |65 so that the clip may extend therethrough is the lower spring seat |10 having a central raised portion |12 surrounded-by the annular flange |14 upon which the lower end of the spring 66 rests. The raised portion |12 serves to retain the spring 66 on the flange |14 .and also forms a recess for receiving the flanges |60 of the cupped stamping |56 and |62 of the U-shaped clip |64. The raised portion of the spring seat |12 rests upon blocks |16 of rubber or some similar deformable material which are in turn supported upon the flanges v|62 of the U-shaped clip |64. If desired, the blocks of rubber |16 may be retained in place on the flanges |62 by means of pins |18 which are vulcanized in the blocks and extend down through holes provided in the fianges |62 and |60.

From the above description it should be apparent that the lower end of the spring 66 and the lower end of the shock absorber 10 are supported from the fitting |44 which is rigidly connected to the upper control arm' 36. The outer end of the upper control arm 36 and the fitting |44 are supported by the ball pin |32 on the top of the steering knuckle 42 which is supported from the ground by the wheel 44 and spindle |34. The rubber biscuits 14 of the shock absorber connection and the rubber blocks |16 between the lower spring seat and the U-shaped clip |64 are suiciently solid to sustain and transmit the loads applied to the members but at the same time are sufficiently fiexible to allow the spring and shock absorber assembly to rock on or change its alignment relative to the fitting |44 and the steering knuckle 42. They also function to prevent the transmission of vibrations from the wheel to the spring.

Considering the operation of the entire device, it should be evident that when the wheel 44 strikes a bump, it will raise the steering knuckle 42 which in turn rotates the upper and lower control arms 36 and 38 about their axes through the bearings 82, 90 and |26, |28 respectively. Since the upper and lower control arms are approximately equal in size and are positioned one under the other, the position of the steeringknuckle 42 will at all times be maintained in the same angular position relative to a vertical plane through the longitudinai axis of the vehicle a1- though it will move along an arc in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car. Maintaining the steering knuckle in the same angular position as just described maintains the same camber and toe-in settings of the wheel and prevents scrubbing action of the tire on the road. While this movement of the steering knuckle 42 changes the relative alignment between the steering knuckle and the fixed upper spring Support 46, the exible mountirigs of the lower spring support 40 will allow suficient movement of the lower spring seat |10 so that the spring 66 and shock absorber 10 will be subjected only to loads directly along the principal axis of the spring.

The mechanism for steering the vehicle is more clearly shown in Figure 7 and consists of a steering knuckle radius arm which is fastened to the inside of the lower end of the steering knuckle 42 by means of the bolts |92. The arm |90 extends forwardly from the steering knuckle 42 and is provided with the conventional ball and socket joint |94 for receiving the tie rod |96 which connects the steering knuckle radius arms of the opposite wheels. One of the radius arms |90 is provided with an extension |98 to which is connected the drag link 200 for connection with the pitman arm 202 of any suitable steering gear (not shown).

In Figures 8 and 9 I have illustrated a modified method of supporting the lower spring seat upon the fitting |44 of the upper control arm. This connection is the same as that illustrated and described in Figure 6 in all respects except that the rubber blocks |16 between the raised portion |12 of the lower spring seat and the flange |62 of the U-shaped clip |64 have been replaced by the metal pins 216 positioned in holes formed in the flanges |62 and |60. The pins 216 have a conical upper portion and a cylindrical shank of smaller diameter than the base of the conical portion so that the conical portion forms a shoulder which rests upon the flange |62. If desirable the raised portion |12 of the lower spring seat may be raised slightly as at 212 (see Figure 9) to form a pocket for receiving the points of the pins 216. I contemplate that the cup-shaped stamping 58 and U-shaped bracket |64 and, therefore, the pins 216 will be positioned in a line transverse to the axis of the automobile so that the spring seat |12 may rock about theline of the pins 216 to keep the spring seat always parallel to the upper spring support 46 as thecontrol arms swing about the supports l82, 92 and |26, |28.

From the above description it should be apparent that all the vertical road shocks are taken by the spring and shock absorber while the support arms serve only to guide the motion of the wheels in passing over uneven ground and to take side thrust and braking torque. Since the major loads usually applied to ordinary suspension are not applied to my control arms, the arms and their bearings may be made from lighter material which cuts down cost and unsprung weight.

Camber may be adjusted by removing the top of the socket bearing 92 and turning the ball 90 along the rod 18. Thus as viewed in Figure 4, if the ball is moved to the right and replaced in the socket, the entire upper control arm will be moved to the left moving the topof the steering knuckle to the left and decreasing the camber. The reverse of this procedure will increase the cam- To change the castor adjustment of the wheel, the position of the rod Si in the boss lll of the lower spring support may be changed.` Thus as viewed in Figure it the outer end of the rod QI is projected further through the boss IIB by loosening the inner nut H2 and tightening the outer nut, the outer end of the rod 'Il will swing in an arc about the bend Il. Movement along the arc will move the iltting l and the top of the steering knuckle I2 toward the rear and increase the castor. A reverse procedure will decrease castor.

Since my mechanism is easily adjusted over a considerable range of positions, the parts need not be held to overly iine limits in manufacture and the cost of production is thus reduced.

What I claim is:

l. In an automobile having a transverse frame member, a wheel suspension comprising a pair of parallel control arms, transversely spaced journals supported along lines above and below the top and bottom of said cross member and arranged to pivotally support said arms along parallel axes transverse Vto the longitudinal axis' of said automobile, end portions on said arms extending lhackwardly from said axes, and a steering knuckle pivotally supported between said end portions of said arms.

2. Automotive suspension including a steering knuckle, parallel control arms connected to said steering knuckle, one above the other, a plurality of means for supporting said arms forwardly of their point of connection with said steering knuckle, said control arm supporting means also allowing rotation of said arms about axes transl verse to the longitudinal axis of the automobile, yieldable bushings in one of said supporting means on each arm, a journal comprising a ball and socket joint in the other of said supporting means on each arm, and spring means having a base rigidly attached to the automobile for cushioning the rotary movement of said arms.

3. In an automobile having a transverse frame member, a wheel suspension comprising a pair of control arms, pairs of transversely spaced journals secured on the top and bottom of said frame member, each of said arms being supported in one of said pairs of journals, yielding means in one journal of each of said pairs of journals, backwardly extending portions formed on the outer ends of said arms, a steering knuckle having a universal connection with the ends of said backwardly extending portions, a coil spring axially aligned with said universal connections in the normal position of said spring, and a fixed seat for said spring extending from the side of said frame, said spring bearing against one of said` universal connections. A

4. Automotive suspension including a steering knuckle, means for guiding the vertical movement of said steering knuckle including a rod mounted to rotate on an axis extending transversely of said automobile, the outer end of said rod being bent backwardly, a second rod extending between and secured to a point adjacent the inner end of said rst rod and the outer end of said rst rod to interbrace said rods, and means for changing the position of said second rod relative to said rst rod to change the position of said steering knuckle relative to the vehicle.

5. In an automobile, a frame comprising side rail members and raised members positioned over the forward ends of said side rails, and a wheel suspension system comprising upper spring seats spaced laterally outwardly from said raised members, rods connecting said spring seats to said raised members, other rods extending downwardly from said spring seats and secured to said side rails, coil springs abutting against said spring seats, and steerable road wheels cushioned by said springs.

6. In an automobile, a frame comprising side rail members and raised members positioned over the foward ends of said side rails, and a wheel suspension system comprising upper spring seats spaced laterally outwardly from said raised* members, rods connecting said spring seats to said raised members, other rods extending downwardly from said spring seats and secured to said side rails, coil springs abutting against said spring seats, and steerable road wheels cushioned by said springs, said rods being adjustably attached to said spring seats.

7. In an automobile having side rail members and raised frame members over'said side rail members, rings positioned laterally outwardly from said raised members, rods connecting said rings with said raised members, other rods extending downwardly i'rom said rings to said side rails, cup shaped.sprlng seats having a flange around their open end seated against the undersides of said rings, coll springs abutting. againstv said ilanges, and shock absorbers secured to the closed ends of said cup shaped members.

8. An automotive suspension including a steering knuckle mounted to oscillate in an orbit parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car, a fixed spring seat on the car, a movable spring seat, a line support for said movable spring seat on said steering knuckle, said-line support being transverse to the longitudinal axis of the car, and a coil spring positioned between said spring seats, said movable seat being seated upon but not attached to said line support.

9. An automotive suspension including a steering knuckle with a spindle thereon, a pair of supports one on` each end of said knuckle, one of said supports being oiiset from the other laterally of the car, a pair of arms each having a ball and socket connection with one of said pair'of supports, said arms arranged to rotate about axes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the car and being connected to said supports at points oilset from said axes, and means for iixing said arms at a plurality of distances from the longitudinal axis of the car.

10. In an automotive suspension, a steering knuckle, a ball on said steering knuckle, a ilxture having a socket arranged to receive the ball, a cup iixed to said xture, an inverted U-shaped clip having iianges iixed to said cup, an inverted cup-shaped member deilning an aperture at its midportion and having an annular ange therearound, said inverted cup-shapedmember being positioned over said cup with said U-shaped clip projecting through said aperture, flexible blocks positioned between the flanges oi said U-shaped clip and said inverted cup, a coil spring positioned on said annular ilange, and a shock absorber fastened-to the top of said U-shaped clip.

11. An automotive suspension including a steering knuckle mounted to osclllate inan orbit parallel to the longitudinal axis of the automobile, a ilxed spring seat on the automobile, a movable spring seat, a line support for said movable spring seat on said steering knuckle, a clip attached to said line support and extending through said movable spring seat. a coil spring positioned the inner ends of said rods being threaded, dil0- agonal rods extending from the inner ends of said bent rods to the outer end thereof, nuts threaded on said bent rods on each side of the inner end of said diagonal rods, ball members threaded on the inner ends of said bent rods, supports dening sockets for supporting said balls,

, and supports for the intermediate portion of said bent rods, said last mentioned supports having a flexible journal therein.

NILS ERIK WAHLBERG. 

